These health foods made me fat
We know that certain foods won’t make you lose weight, but, certain foods, even healthy foods that have been promoted as being great for fat loss, can cause you to gain weight. Below is a list of foods that I thought were healthy, that were not just preventing me from losing excess body fat, but were causing weight gain:
- Bars. I’m not talking about candy bars. I’m referring to those “healthy” nut and fruit bars, and protein bars. These snacks or meal replacements, can range from 140-390 calories. Most of these bars contain sugar, or some type of sweetener like rice syrup, which spikes blood sugar and makes us crave sugary foods even more, causing us to eat more. Many bars also contain “natural flavors” which is a nice way of saying: chemicals that are categorized as obesogens (causing weight gain), and may disrupt your DNA.
- Nuts. People who eat nuts have been shown to weigh less, but stopping at seven almonds is just impossible for me. I was easily eating 200-300 calories in nuts; even though that’s not a lot of calories, if I burn 1600 calories a day and I’m eating 1900 calories a day, I’m going to pack on extra pounds.
- Crackers. I thought crackers were a healthy snack, but typical crackers are made with the same ingredients as cookies: sugar, salt and flour, and make us crave sweet and salty foods even more.
- Pretzels. I also thought pretzels were a healthy mid-day snack, but they too are made with the same ingredients as cookies: sugar, salt and flour. Yes, most pretzels contain sugar!
While I do eat bars once in a while, I try not to since I always end up over my calorie budget each time I do. I still eat nuts, but I limit them to the weekends (my little splurge). I’ve eliminated wheat crackers and all pretzels, and noticed fewer cravings. By moving my meal times closer to when I crave food, I’ve been able to limit snacks and reduce my daily calorie intake.
